Charleston, SC: Love Wins

Evil happens when good people do nothing. How can good people be so silent in the face of rampant racism? How many shooting rampages need to happen for people to become outraged? How long will Southern states use the bullshit claim of “states rights” to condone a culture of racism? And, how long will Southern states celebrate racism with Confederate flags?

The Charleston Nine were gunned down on June 17. 2015 during a Bible study meeting at Mother Emanuel AME.

He’d been planning this massacre for a long time, but the authorities never tagged him as a potential terrorist despite a racist manifesto which was posted in February. I wasn’t at all surprised to learn the evil person who committed this evil act witnessed domestic violence at home. Yet, the profilers who are supposed to protect us from terrorism steadfastly refuse to acknowledge the link between domestic violence and terrorism. The net result is that nine very good people are dead. Nine very good people who infused the world with love and faith.

The beautiful Ravenel Bridge is as iconic as the Mother Emanuel church in Charleston. It spans the Cooper River and links Mount Pleasant to Charleston. I love bridges. When we cross a bridge, we leave the past behind and embrace the future. On Sunday, it became the Bridge to Peace.

[The shooter] had this crazy idea that he would divide us.

All this did was make us more united and love each other even more.
– Charleston Mayor Joe Riley

I just thought, “Okay. Let’s do this. Let me post it on my Facebook page.” Thursday night at 8:07 I said, “I want to organize a unity chain over the Ravenel Bridge. How many people can we get to stand together with hands held?”

Almost 20,000 good people did something on Sunday. It was Father’s Day. It was the first day of summer. It was hot. It was humid. I pray that their commitment and courage will be the catalyst for a sea change in the toxic climate of racism which is a cancer on our country.

Stephen Colbert walks in a unity chain on the ravanel bridge in Charleston in support of those lost in the church shooting.

I can’t even process it; I feel like I’m in a movie. The people raised in Charleston are not raised knowing hate ~ they’re raised in love, and that was obvious tonight. … I hope the families feel the honor and the love from this community.

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